The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1887-12-07

The arrival of Jack Baronette in the
city last week, recalls to II mind an
affair in which Jack was m unwilling
participant, in April, 1877, in the Black
Hills. For several years previous, Jack
had been a resident of Montana, a warm
friend of Gen. Sheridan, and employed
an the National Park. His many adyen-
lures, previous to the time of which we
speak, we will at some future time
relate.
Jack, with a party of Montanians,
was attracted to the Black Hills during
the first days of the gold excitement
there, a large party joining the STAN
pede and fastening to the new Eldorado
as fast as horse flesh could carry them
there. Jack secured a claim at once,
being an experienced %prospector, and
started in to work it. In this he was not
so successful. A Col. Timblin, of Ne
braska, who held the position of deputy
recorder, laid claim to Jacks ground and
threatened to take possession of 1t by
force. Jack called a miners meeting, a
large number of miners responding to
the call, and deciding at once that he
was the rightful owner of the ground.
At the same meeting Timblin was
accused of tearing from the mining rec
ords the leaves that recorded Jacks
right to the ground. This was never
disproven.
Timblin, in the next issue of the
Black Hills Herald, published a bitter
article, in which he denounced Jack in
language more torcible than elegant.
Jack. soon after the article appeared,
was leaving his lodging house one morn
ing, when he was informed by the
in charge that Col. Timblin was
coming down the street with a revolver
in his hand. Jack proceeded down
stairs, where he came face to face with
the enraged man. Jack walked up to
him coolly and said: "Col. Timblin,
you have made false accusations about
me in the newspaper, which desire you
to retract." With an oath, Timblin
.aised his revolver and fired. Just
then, luckily, the woman above
screamed, and as she did so, Jack turned
his face toward her, while the ball which
was intended for his mouth, just grazed
his cheek, and left a scar there, which
is still visible. Knowing Tlmblin to be
a dead shot, Jack dropped to his knees,
and. drawing his revolver as he did so,
opened fire, with deadly effect, until
forced to desist by his revolver refusing
to return.
In the meanwhile Timblin kept up a
fusilade. and while lying almost pros
trate, succeeded in firing a shot, which
fortunately was as harmless as the others
had been. By this time friends of Tim
bins, who had accompanied him, began
to show hostile demonstrations, and One
with a Winchester rifle, was about to
take aim when Jack, by main force, sue
ceeded in turning the chamber of his
revolver to where a cartridge was ready
for its deadly work, and taking aim.
babe the man lower his gun. which he
speedily did.
Jack gave himself up and was tried
and as speedily acquitted. Before *
piring, Timblin, in the presence of
Baronette, said that he alone was to
blame for the whole affair, and that
Baronette had been the defensive party
to the Transaction. Notwithstanding this,
a great number of TImblin's Nebraska
friends have from that time to this
accused Baronette of being the agrees
sor, and have had some very hard things
to say of him.
The CHRONICLE has now in Its posses
sion a statement of the case, signed by
one hundred of the best citizens of the
Black Hills. by which the testimony of
good men an true is voluntarily offered
in B~aronette's behalf. This data, left
here by Mr.. B%aronettte, is designed to
take a place in y. Beidler's forthcoming
hook